Ford began migrating brake-throttle override, or Brake Over Accelerator (BOA), as the automaker calls it, in 2004 and the first product it appeared on was the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. By the end of calendar year 2010, it was implemented on nearly 100 percent of Ford and Lincoln light-duty models (excluding select low volume vehicles, such as certain trucks with a Cummins diesel engine). Owners of these trucks may not want BOA because they are backing up trailers or putting boats in the water, etc.

Brake Over Accelerator is a Ford-designed system. It is on manual and automatic transmission vehicles and operates the same. BOA is also on Ford hybrid and electric vehicles but operates a little bit differently than conventional powertrain vehicles. The system works the same way but the software calibration is a little different.

The BOA system monitors the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal position. If it senses brake pedal application and accelerator position not changing (for example, the accelerator is stuck or trapped), the electronic throttle is driven closed to idle position by the powertrain control module. As the throttle is driven closed, the brake force acts on the vehicle and it slows down—to a complete stop if the driver continues to apply the brakes.

Ford says that the system acts “very quickly.” When the brake is released, the system resumes normal operations, but the throttle is ramped back to the requested pedal position to allow a controllable acceleration. It also works in reverse."

The strategy used on various models may not be consistent for a number of reasons.

In any case, blasman confirmed the strategy used in the Focus with the DCT:

The clutches are disengaged and the throttle is limited to a "no load" condition.